Fourth Life - Love - Restoration - The Truth

"My fourth lifetime... Then that means that I would be meeting certain conditions?"

『 That's correct, that means a 104th Pureblood ability will be created and you have to consult Pureblood about that, not me. Soulblood might also have something to say and your Darkness Soul might be currently unstable, but it's not too bad. Your body also has adjusted to the damage since not only your mind broke, your body also took the full brunt of the backlash. The Plant of Regenerative Ivory also absorbed the damage and stored it for now 』

"I guess it's not too bad... By dying, I get more powerful, but there's consequences to external connections by dying... Good thing I have this ultimate skill..."

In this moment, Tenshi hugged Philip tightly and burried her face

"Tenshi?"

"Even if you can't die and you can resurrect... I don't think I won't get used to seeing you dead or knowing that you died..."

"..."

"Therefore... Please avoid dying and stay alive, or at least die where I can't see you..."

"That's kinda..."

"Don't misunderstand... It's not like I'm selfish enough and I don't want to be there when you die... It's because I know you will still live-"

"Okay, I understand. The least I want you to feel is pain whenever I disappear. I got you"

Tenshi was shaking and Philip held her closer to comfort her and calm her down. He then kissed the top of her head and he looked at the floating blue-green shard as it releases white light and arcs of lightning

"Am I going to have to take the test again?"

『 No, the Shards of the Five transcend time, space, and dimensions. It knows that you failed the test, so you haven't become its full owner yet. Though, you have received the shard and your imagination power has ascended, but not to the degree of absolution 』

"Will it float like Pureblood and Soulblood around me?"

『 Since it transcends time and space, it can shift in and out of reality and hide itself 』

"I see... Am I going to take the test in the future once again?"

『 You'll be able to challenge the test at any time you want since you've experienced it one time. Be careful though, you've already died once, you can die again... It's very very risky, so I advise you to come very prepared 』

"Okay, I understand"

The [Shard of Imagination] then hovered towards Philip and stopped in front of his forehead. It began to spin and rotate in a calm manner

"...?"

Philip looked at the shard with confusion and Tenshi looked at it with interest

『 Imagination comes from the mind. The Shard of Imagination goes to the closest source of its concept, which is the power of your imagination right now. You're basically a canditate for its owner now, so it will be attached to you 』

"Okay... You said that I received two of the Shards of the Five? I reckon there's five shards in total?"

『 Duh? And yes, it's about to appear now. This shard is smarter, wiser, and more aware of everything around you 』

"I'm ready"

Tenshi has already let go of Philip and it's the same for Philip. They tried to look around and wait for how the second shard would manifest

They then noticed the pink coloration of the air around them to shift and go around them. In no time, they were surrounded by a torrent of pink tornado

The tornado began to shrink and the wall of the tornado passed both of them with gentle pink winds

The tornado kept shrinking until it formed a tiny swirl in the middle of the air. It condensed and shone with pink colored light until the swirl became a solid matter, an irregularly shaped shard similar to the [Shard of Imagination]. It is pink in color and it's releasing pink mist and cloud

『 Your ultimate love for a special partner has transcended beyond time and space. The Void Iris Ultra Orchid has recognized you and the Red String of Fate has connected both of you. In addition to that, you have been in commitment, engaged, and married for a long time, close to forever 』

『 Numerous opposite sex has developed their feelings and emotions towards you 』

『 You have obtained the third shard of the Shards of the Five 』

"Third?!"

『 By earning the development of feelings and emotions of certain beings, namely Ysabelle Veil, Yuze Mahikocho, Lyre Ki, Songstress Sonar, Chihaya Fujimoto, Wendy Natsumi, Vanessa Flannel, Kyouko Libitina, Natsuki Natsu, Natsume Natsu, Mei'er Hua, Beatrice Arai, Justine Miller, Saykrandae Cladis Saigai, Corleona Cladis, Clara Cladis, Celine Rhee, Tenshi Hikaru, Amatsuka Zentai, Sheena Azuma, Rue Safiotti, Katara, and Emily... 』

"...?"

『 You have received the Shard of Love! 』

"!!!"

Philip flinched and he braced himself when the [Shard of Love] would bring him into a similar realm like the ⟨⟨ Imagination Realm ⟩⟩, which would be the ⟨⟨ Love Realm ⟩⟩

But nothing changed after a few seconds has passed. The [Shard of Love] just hovered in the air and it began to spin. The spin accelerated until it almost looked like drill

The shard then shot towards Tenshi at an incredible speed. Both Philip and Tenshi barely kept up with the shard and they were startled. Tenshi flinched and almost transformed but the shard showed itself to orbit around her head

Tenshi was a little confused and wary as the shard pulsed with pink light. The shard then flew around her face and rubbed itself on her cheeks like it's some sort of clingy little creature

"What is this?"

『 The Shard of Love is the super condensed form of the concept of love. It is the purest form and the closest existence to the universe itself. Did you know that there's no Love Deities or Deities of Love? 』

"Wait, really?"

『 Yes. There only the True Goddess of Love 』

"Oh, wait! That being next to the True God of Everything?!"

『 Yes, but the Shard of Love is separate to the True Goddess of Love... The true goddess have no power or control over the shard 』

"Then the shard is above the true goddess?"

『 Kinda? Depends on how you nurture the shard 』

"How so?"

『 Like how the Shard of Imagination where it goes closer to its source, your imagination, the Shard of Love aims for the love around you, the love that you express, and the love that you receive and flies towards those condition to kinda feed on it? But it won't be consumed. The more there's love, the more powerful it gets which in turn amplifies your love emotion 』

In this moment, the [Shard of Love] then left Tenshi and flew over Philip's head. It spun above his head like a compass and it then flew in front of his eyes like it was peeking through his eyes

『 ... 』

Philip wasn't disturbed and continued the conversation while Tenshi just looked at the shard with bewilderment

"Then, is there any test I would have to tackle?"

『 No. You just have to keep loving 』

"Seems a hard task to do"

"..."

Tenshi then looked towards him with a pout

"Well, good thing I have Tenshi! Ill do my best"

"It's okay! I know what to expect"

"I'm sorry..."

"Hehe~ I would have some expectations though"

"Yes!"

Just then, the [Shard of Love] froze and shot in between them. It pulsated with pink light and spun in all axes

"Then those names that you mentioned... There was a hint of love around them towards me?"

『 Yes... For you to know... 』

"Wait... NO!"

『 Subsystems regarding love will be restored 』

"NOOO!!!"

『 Dating Simulator System has been restored! 』

『 Affinity System has been restored! 』

『 Gifting System has been restored! 』

『 Marriage System has been restored! 』

『 Relationship Gauge System has been restored! 』

『 Pleasure System has been restored! 』

『 Gifting System has been changed to Desired Gifting System 』

『 Dating Simulator System and Consequential Choices System has become interconnected with each other 』

『 Likability Meter System has been obtained! 』

"Oh god oh god! It's getting complicated once again!"

"Whoaaa... It's funny you have these systems..."

Tenshi exclaimed in amusement

『 Likability Meter System is a subsystem that shows you meter above any being's heads to measure their likability towards you, whereas the Affinity System only shows the level of your closeness to a specific being 』

『 Affinity System has been revamped! 』

『 Affinity System is a subsystem that measures the level of closeness that you have to a specific being and their level of closeness towards you. Milestone Rule will be applied and affinity can reach certain thresholds that will reinforce their affinity 』

"Well, at least they are adjusting themselves to be more precise and understable. Good thing that they have also became subsystems... What are the main systems again?"

『 Consequential Choices System, Gacha System, Information System, Ultimate Skill System, and Dating Simulator System 』

"Oh, the dating simulator one is considered a system?"

『 Yes... Technically the systems that I mentioned are subsystems of the Omega System and the other subsystems are subsystems of the subsystems, kinda like a branching tree 』

"I understand"

『 Dating Simulator System is a system that turns your reality into a reality where everything is dictated by how you pursue every beings and existences that you meet. That is why the Consequential Choices System has interconnected with each other because to pursue through dating, you have to make important choices 』

"Hm, I guess it makes sense, no? Does this mean that the consequential choice will show up more often?"

『 Depends on the situation 』

"So, do I have to consider my reality right now like I'm in some kind of a dating sim game?"

『 Yes, but it won't drastically affect your "normal" life. Just know that you now have the Shard of Love and every person that you make in contact with will trigger this system and you will be able to notice that certain situations will be favorable towards you 』

"Why is that?"

『 Dating sim games make it so that almost all character will have to interact with you, is it not? 』

"I see your point... A change in how all beings in the universe behave, right?"

『 Yes, with the exception of people who know about the system... So, Tenshi and Amatsuka won't be affected at all 』

"Is that so..."

Tenshi exclaimed with a sinister voice

"Well, not that I would care... I'm interested on how everyone will act now"

"..."

『 Moving on... 』

『 Desired Gifting System is a subsystem that allows you to confirm and recognize the most suitanle gift of item that you can give to a person. This subsystem is affected by the level of affinity and likability meter 』

『 Relationship Gauge System is a subsystem that defines the relationship status of anyone that you want to define. This includes third parties and fourth parties 』

『 Pleasure System is a subsystem that allows you to be able to pleasure any-- 』

"SKIP THAT!! I already know the gist of it! It's self-explanatory!!"

Philip panicked and didn't want to know more about the Pleasure System and Tenshi's face turned red while she was fidgeting

『 Okay... 』

『 Marriage System is a subsystem that consolidates and reinforces the sacred engagement of you and another partner 』

"..."

"..."

Philip and Tenshi were only staring at the displays with empty eyes with their jaws slightly opened

"Is this turning into a harem genre?!"

Philip asked in fear

"Well, if you don't have any relationships with other women, it's not a harem yet, right?"

"Yet?!!"

"Hehehe~"

"Oh god, I'm dizzy..."

Even though Philip like the harem genre when he read multiple harem manga and novels in the past because authors couldn't help but drop that genre in, he already accepted the reality that harems doesn't exist. Well, except for those wealthy and overpowered bosses, leaders, individual scumbags somewhere around the world where they can get any women they want and either play with them or have them serve them

Meanwhile, as Philip, who was living an ordinary life, was impossible for him to have a harem. But today is a different era and a lot of expectations will be defied

『 You will get a harem... It's unavoidable 』

"It's unavoidable?"

『 Do you want to know the truth? 』

"Truth?"

At this point, the [Shard of Love] abruptly stopped and froze again. It slowly spun and it seemed to face the representation of the Omega System, even though there's no identifiable front

『 ..... 』

The shard then slowly hovered toward the representation and flew around it erratically

『 Heh... These shards really do transcend beyond time, space, and dimension, huh? Well, let's hurry and finish our session... 』

"...?"

『 Do you remember the Witch of Beginning, Carmilla's words? 』

"Which one?"

『 Why do people unconditionally follow you eith no questions asked? Why are the the beings of the female gender are unconditionally attached to you? 』

"I don't know... I have this kind of trait that people follow me when I prove my leadership and they always rely on me..."

『 But that doesn't answer why females are attracted to you. You already know this, but a lot of girls in your school life had taken a liking to you, but you refused to acknowledge it befause of reasons... It's not because you have perfect looks right now because of mana... It's not because you're kind or you used to be funny... 』

"..."

『 That's because of the Shard of Love that chose you the moment you were born! 』